Is isopropyl alcohol 90+% safe for cleaning copper heatsinks and processors?

Question

I'm preparing to replace my laptop's CPU and I'm curious about using isopropyl alcohol on both the copper heatsink and CPU.

Will I be better off purchasing some special surface purifier? Also, if I may use this alcohol, would it be okay to use on aluminum as well?

Answer 1

There is no problem with using isopropyl alcohol to clean off copper or aluminum.
I have done it for years, the worst that could happen is a very thin oxidation layer could form, which will form anyway on any totally raw surface. Application of oiley or greacy thermal compounds keeps the oxygen from hitting them after cleaning, and everything is good to go.

Speaking of raw, many of the surfaces are not raw. Aluminum or copper heatsinks are sometimes coated with a clear coat, like the fins often are. Aluminum could have a purposfull oxidation layer on it. Copper turns green when it has no oxygen blocking substances on it. There can be machine oils from the machining, or to keep oxidation down to retain the pristine condition.

Ammonia (not alcohol) in consumer concentrations given enough time will soften up even plasticy clear coats, and make a mess or can be used like a paint stripper for them. Even with long term soaking with alcohol it does not destroy the plastic type coatings, although it can strip oils just fine.

Alcohol can also strip the oils out of plastics, like the cases for things, or fan plastics or other plastics used. (which are made from? crude byproducts) So exposure to plastic surfaces may result in slight discoloration, the longer it can solvent out those oils. Even then it can usually easily be corrected by putting some oils back in :-)

Is a special substance required to clean any of this stuff? If it is I have been doing it wrong over and over again for years, and it has not made any detrimental difference.

Other conciderations, the cooling effect of tech sprays , even alcohol as a solvent , and the percentage of 90% alcohol means there can be residual, and possibly moisture from the air (condensation) and all. If we wanted to make up scenarios were this doesn't work, it would be because the surface was not dry completly, stick it all together and heat it and any substances that would then vaporise or steam, pushing the thermal compounds around.
So make sure things are dry.